The chairmen of four county councils met in Hampton on Dec. 12 for the signing of a multicounty revenue-sharing agreement, which states that the citizens of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton counties will share tax revenue from future economic development projects in the region.

The agreement, passed by each of the four county councils over the last few months, was initiated to strengthen collaboration among the counties and provide an additional incentive to companies to bring their jobs to the Southern Carolina region of South Carolina.

According to Allendale County Council Chairman Bill Robinson, “This agreement is historic because our four county councils have agreed that we will share the tax revenue on qualified economic development projects, working as a team as we compete with other communities around the globe.”

Barnwell County Council Chairman Lowell Jowers said, “Our cooperation as a region is even more important because of the rural nature of our area. By working together and marketing ourselves as the Southern Carolina region, we are able to offer a regional work force and resources, which each county couldn’t do alone.”

The counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton have a combined population of 71,771, according to the most recent population estimates.

“Job creation and capital investment are critical to expanding our tax base and improving our services at the local level,” said Bamberg County Council Chairman Chris Wilson. “This agreement allows our county to benefit from every project in the region and increases our marketing appeal to prospective industries.”

In addition to allowing all four counties to receive a portion of the tax revenue from both large and small economic development projects, the agreement provides an attractive incentive to industries, which, under S.C. law, can qualify for an additional tax incentive per employee on projects that are multicounty.

“Our work ethic, our proximity to the ports and our great transportation routes make our region second to none,” Hampton County Council Chairman Hugh Gray said. “This multicounty agreement gives us another competitive edge in industrial recruitment while providing each of the four counties with another source of revenue.”

Kay Still, chairman of SouthernCarolina Alliance, the regional economic development organization representing the four counties, joined the county council chairmen for the ceremonial signing of the agreement at Hoover’s Station in Hampton. Several other county council members including the Rev. Isaiah Odom and Alzena Robinson of Bamberg County, Jim Kearse and David Kenner of Barnwell County, and Carl Gooding of Allendale County were in attendance, as well as Bamberg County Administrator Rose Elliott and Hampton County Administrator Sabrena Graham.

Prior to passage of the, only projects located at one of the designated multicounty parks could qualify for the tax incentive. The most recent multicounty project in the SCA region is Horsehead Corp., announced in October 2008. It will bring 65 jobs and $72 million in capital investment to the S.C. Advanced Technology Park in Barnwell County.

“This is truly an historic occasion for our region,” Still said. “We have been able to take cooperation and regionalism to an unprecedented level. We believe this agreement will help us create more and better jobs in the coming years, and that’s what we’re all about.”

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